The federal government has begun a staff audit at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to enhance effectiveness, after over 1,600 retired in the last one and a half years in the ministry.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, who flagged off the Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis (PAGSA) Project for the Ministry, stressed that the inadequacy of professionals was hindering project supervision.
A statement by the Director Information and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba, stated at the weekend that PASGA is an important part of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25), being anchored by the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
It characterised it as a verification exercise that is aimed at verifying and updating personnel records, identifying skills and capacity gaps, as well as supporting workforce planning and reforms, of all civil servants of the federation.
Making his remarks, Belgore highlighted the primary mandate of the ministry in providing affordable housing for Nigerians, acknowledging the hard work put into achieving the mandate by the staff of the ministry.
He informed that the ministry was grossly understaffed, having lost over 1,600 staff members due to retirement in the last year and a half, stressing that this has led to missing skills and gaps opening up at the Ministry, including state field offices.
Belgore further explained that lack of professionals on the ground makes project supervision cumbersome for the ministry, saying that the ministry often deploys officers from the headquarters for site inspections across the states.
“The ministry is interested to partner with the Georgid Consultants to ensure strengthening the identified gaps and build capacity for the ministry” he stated.
Belgore charged the team of consultants to be very detailed in the conduct of the verification exercise, urging them to: “Get exactly what our strengths are across the headquarters and all our offices and we will be very interested to have you present some of your findings to us.”
He noted that the exercise was a very important part of the FCSSIP 25, in the sense that it is about capacity and building human resources for the next generation.
In the same vein, he mandated every staff of the ministry to cooperate fully with the team of consultants for the exercise, adding that the team will also be inspected to ensure that they achieve the mandate of the ministry. Belgore pledged full support of the ministry to the consultant to deliver on the assignment.
Earlier, the Chief Executive of the Georgid Consulting, Isaac Idontenyi, noted that it was essential to carry out an effective and efficient verification exercise as the initiative aims to reposition and transform the federal civil service for national transformation and growth.
While stating that the physical verification process will begin on Monday, with a designated venue and collaborative efforts of directors of the ministry, he outlined the broad scope of the exercise which includes data collection, performance management, leadership and succession planning, training, recruitment, and placement.
He explained that the verification process will use a technology tool to capture information, ensuring data integrity and coverage across the country.
In his welcome address, the acting Director of Human Resource Management, Ayodele Ademola, noted that the exercise marks a significant step in the collective effort to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance efficiency, and align the ministry’s human resources with its renewed mandate under the present administration.
He said the initiative underscores the commitment of the Head of Service to accountability, transparency, and excellence in service delivery.
“It will also ensure that our human capital remains a strategic driver of the ministry’s vision for sustainable housing and urban development across Nigeria,” he stated.
Emmanuel Addeh
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